5 Artists Beating Mental Health [EPISODE]
Let’s assume for second that celebrities are real people.
They have real problems.
And even though they are looked at as visionaries and revered by their industry, they still suffer from conditions that plague them, sometimes insufferably. Conditions that sometimes we learn about far too late - Depression and mental health.
However, we would like to take this time to inform you about 5 artist's that are winning their fight against their mental health ailments.
#5 Bruce Springsteen
In 2016 in article he did with Vanity Fair it states that "over the years, Springsteen has been forthcoming about the fact that he is prone to depression, for which he has sought relief through both therapy and antidepressants.
His depression, detailed by Springsteen in his published memoir Born To Run, he said it stems from coming from a family of mental illness sufferers.
In speaking about his dad he states, "My dad had a gruff exterior but inside he was really ... he could be quite soft and sensitive. The qualities he had inside are things I wore on the outside. And they were just difficult for him to deal with. "I might have reminded him of his own frailties in some day, or fragility, so it was just a terrible cross-current of emotion that went on between us."
He recognized this unfortunate heredity trait early on and has sought relief through antidepressants and therapy, which he began in the early 1980s.
But his “trustiest form of self-medication” has always been touring. Even during his low points, he’s managed to be active and productive, his inner struggle subtly hinted at through song titles like “This Depression.”
He credited his wife Patti Scialfa, who is also a member of the E Street Band, with helping him find the strength to deal with it and find a better mental place.
#4 Sinead O’Connor
In an article stated by Billboard in early Dec 2015 it states, O'Connor's mental health issues a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder, later amended to PTSD, including depression and suicidal tendencies.
She says, “Recovery from child abuse is a life’s work. My PTSD comes from my experiences with child abuse: You’re vulnerable, self-esteem-wise. I’m hearing all these things people are saying about me to my husband, and I started to think negatively about myself, and it pushed some dangerous buttons.
We are happy to report however, that coming off of eight years of believing she had bipolar and being treated as such, Sinéad came to a sobering realization.
“If people think that you have a mental illness, they take it as a license to dismiss everything you think, do, say, or feel.” It’s easy to write someone off as ‘just crazy’ instead of seeing them as a rational human being," O'Connor says.
Moving forward, she hopes that people will stop using the word “crazy” as an insult. This way, those who are diagnosed with various mental disorders no longer have to suffer through the social stigma of being written off as somehow less important than others.
#3 Demi Lovato
Even though she is regarded as one of the leading ladies in the pop world, Demi has made a number of open statements about her disorder.
A 2011 article mentions the singer's history of drug abuse and self-harm, which resulted in her entering rehab. She was diagnosed with bipolar depression, the depressive phase of bipolar disorder.
In the years since, the 24-year-old has spoken about living with mental illness and is the spokesperson for the campaign Be Vocal, which encourages mental-health awareness and advocacy. Lovato recently executive produced a documentary on mental illness called Beyond Silence. In a Wednesday interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Lovato got personal about her fight for mental-health advocacy.
“I’m bipolar and proud, and I live well with it, and I think that’s the goal for everyone with a mental illness,” she told the talk-show host.
In 2015, Lovato spoke with Women’s Health about her diagnosis and her choice to talk publicly about her mental illness. She said that, in the end, she chose to use her own struggles as inspiration for others.
#2 Barbara Streisand
In an interview in 2006 with Oprah Winfrey, Barbara revealed that she had begun taking anti-anxiety medication in a bid to once again get her stage fright under control.
Previously it had been reported that she had received therapy from Jerilyn Ross, president and CEO of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America—the same therapist who later treated Donny Osmond. Barbra continues to use teleprompter as an aid to help mitigate some of her anxiety about performing.
Since this time Barbara has began to change her perception of her anxieties and had a completely new outlook on this disorder.
"You know, I can't remember my good reviews. I remember negative ones. They stay in my mind. So, that says a lot about my upbringing or, you know, a feeling of self-worth when I was younger. Now, I can sort of look at it and see that's kind of funny. But, you know, it is true even today."
"During my last tour, when I kicked off my shoes and said whatever I wanted, I actually enjoyed myself. Performing is not about perfection. I could never perform live if it were. For me, it's about raising the money to do good in the world. It's about self-acceptance. It's about believing that I am enough."
#1 Eric Clapton
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines an alcohol use disorder, or AUD, as a diagnosable medical condition in which an individual’s alcohol consumption causes harm or distress. The AUD most are familiar with is alcoholism.
Eric admitted that he had a problem with alcohol starting in the early 70s. During one concert, he performed most of it on his back. “It didn’t seem that outlandish to me, and in fact, probably was all I was capable of. It was either that or just laying down somewhere else. The fact that I was laying down on stage means at least I showed up,” Clapton said.
He has since demonstrated a longstanding commitment to recovery, holding benefit concerts for Crossroads, the treatment center he helped to found in Antigua. "It's a gift I've been given and the best way to honor it is to stay clean and sober to be able to do it as well as I can.
There's really no place else, I'd rather be, with my kids and my wife. The home life has a lot of power for me now, and it's where I get most of my satisfaction," Clapton says.
Artists and creatives tend to spend the majority of time in their own thoughts, and though many seem like they have it all figured out in reference to their art, some of this could come from a cry for help.
Whether it’s calling a friend that you haven’t spoken to in a while, Most importantly be aware of your limitations. I know we don’t want to admit that we have them, but by having self awareness and identifying your breaking points, you could be proactively reversing a potential breakdown.
Personal call to action - if at some point when you were watching this video, a close friend popped into your mind, with the thought that perhaps this would be a great video to begin the conversation of mental health awareness, we absolutely invite you to do so. as artists, we're all in this together.
